Manaso briefs members on new HIV/ Aids strategic plan

The Malawi Network of Aids Services Organizations (MANASO) briefed Civil Society Organizations’ (CSOs) in the HIV and Aids sector in readiness for the yet to be launched HIV/AIDS strategic plan expected to run from 2015 through 2020.

MANASO boardchairperson Maziko Matemba

Speaking in Blantyre on Wednesday, Malawi Network of Aids Service Organisation board chairperson (Manaso) Maziko Matemba said the meeting was aimed at preparing their members for the new interventions in the strategy.

Malawi has set out in the National Strategic Plan for HIV and Aids (2015 – 2020) are to be met.

In the plan, Malawi seeks to achieve ambitious 90-90-90 treatment targets. The strategy says by the end of 2020, Malawi will have diagnosed 90 percent of all people living with HIV, started and retained 90 percent of those diagnosed on treatment and achieved viral suppression for 90 percent of patients on ART.

For Matemba, those targets are achievable.

“Our coming here was to meet our members to brief them about the new strategy which is yet to be launched by government and also we wanted to understand their position on HIV/Aids interventions and get exactly what they are currently doing to control the spread of the pandemic”, he explained.

Matemba said, mobilization of communities in HIV response and interventions and the need for people to know their status were some issues contained in the new strategic plan.

Matemba also said Malawi hailed CBO’s for the vital role they have been playing in working with the most vulnerable people across the country and fostering development.

He described them as front line organizations that directly deal with local people for very little remuneration but mostly on totally voluntary basis.

“These CBOs inspire a lot of hope in their communities through their work. I find that encouraging,” says Matemba.